Light streams thought a damaged roof of the 300 year-old Panay Church in Panay, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Church staff say it will take at least a year to repair once they get the budget, which they do not have. Gavin John/QMI Agency

A resident pose for a portrait out side her damaged home in Culasi, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

Residence's pose for a portrait out side their damaged home in Culasi, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

Flattened trees fill the hillside in the town of Culasi near Roxas, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. A majority of damage to property has been due to the many uprooted trees across the region. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

People drive in front of Roxas City Hall while trees lie uprooted along the road in Roxas, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

A man walks through the a makeshift storage for sandbags in the Roxas airport, Philippines, on Monday, November 18, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

A man walks through the a makeshift storage for sandbags in the Roxas airport, Philippines, on Monday, November 18, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Police officers rest on piles of aid materials at the airport in Roxas, Philippines, on Monday, November 18, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Bent steel and broken columna are all that's left of a motorcycle warehouse in Roxas, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

People drive in front of Roxas City Hall while trees lie uprooted along the road in Roxas, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

A man walks through the debris strewn central plaza in Roxas, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. While sustaining damage during Typhoon Haiyan, Roxas fared much better than other locations such as Tacloban. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

Power lines lie across the damaged city sign into Roxas, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

A view of the broken tiles and damaged roof of the Panay Church in Panay, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Church staff say it will take at least a year to repair once they get the budget, which they do not have. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

Boxes of purified water sits in front of the ruined air control tower in Roxas, Philippines, on Monday, November 18, 2013. Gavin John/QMI Agency

Gavin John/QMI Agency

A view of the broken tiles and damaged roof of the Panay Church in Panay, Philippines, on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. Church staff say it will take at least a year to repair once they get the budget, which they do not have. Gavin John/QMI Agency

MANILA - The cost of rebuilding houses, schools, roads and bridges in typhoon-devastated central Philippines could reach 250 billion pesos ($5.8 billion), making it likely that the government will seek cheap loans from development agencies, a senior official said on Tuesday.

If the government is successful in deploying resources for post-typhoon reconstruction, the economy may even grow faster, said Arsenio Balisacan, economic planning secretary, adding the country's strong economic fundamentals remained intact.

"I would not be surprised if it can go as high as 250 billion," Balisacan told Reuters, commenting on the likely cost of reconstruction.